


Robert

by livesybaby



Series: I'll be needing stitches [5]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-04-04
Packaged: 2018-05-31 05:20:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6457453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livesybaby/pseuds/livesybaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From Roberts point of view.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Robert

Roberts POV

today is Finns birthday and we’re going out. Victoria approached Chrissie and I in the pub yesterday saying something about how it’s his birthday and he still doesn’t have a lot of friends around here and she would be grateful if we could make it. Chrissie agreed before I even had the chance to retaliate, she had a quiet word in my ear about building bridges and basically told me I had no choice in the matter. The happiness on Victoria’s face was evident and I just couldn’t say no.

She texted me some details later, telling me who would be there – Her, Finn, Adam, Aaron. Like some private party I wish I wasn’t invited to. She then threw in the fact that they would be spending most of the night in Bar West, as if there wasn’t another place that had pink unicorns practically straddling the entrance. I’m not homophobic, I swear. The only saving grace was that Aaron would be there, most likely ignoring me because of some offhand comment I’d made about us and how there was no us, just sex. 

Chrissie said she wouldn’t be seen dead in a gay bar and so conveniently got one of her headaches a few hours before we were meeting and retired to an early night. I don’t think the group were that bothered when I announced Chrissie couldn’t make it, in a way I was glad. At least it meant I could relax tonight rather than have Chrissie in my ear asking when we were going home.

We met in the Woolpack for drinks whilst we waited for the taxi, Ross came in a bit later shoving a clearly second-hand Godzilla DVD into his brothers hand with an over-the-top Happy Birthday. Finn was clearly grateful that Ross had even remembered and completely overlooked the terrible gift, asking Ross if he wanted to join us for a “Night on the Lash”. Ross had laughed, thanked him for the offer but declined before adding “I have enough trouble fending off our Aaron here without the entire Gay community in one room!” Aaron had shook his head and did his signature eye roll, clearly too tipsy to set the guy straight. 

By the time we got to Bar West it was nearing half past Nine and most of the group were drunk, I on the other hand was tipsy but still in complete control of myself – as I like to be. I noticed Aaron had made an effort, wearing a short-sleeved blue shirt that I hadn’t seen before. It clung to him in all the right places and rose up lightly every now and then revealing a tanned line of skin above his jeans. Adam was throwing back shots whilst Aaron danced with my sister, all completely platonic. Victoria was elated that she had managed to get us all together; the smile that reached her eyes gave that away. 

Aaron was clearly drunk. He had placed a messy kiss on Victoria’s hairline before grabbing Finn who spun him around on the dance floor, giggling like school children at the circus. The jealousy inside me burned, I wanted nothing more than to have a friendship like these four had. I hated sitting on the side lines and watching everyone enjoy themselves, that’s all Emmerdale ever reminded me of, being second best.

Soon the trio had made it back to the table to save poor Adam from getting hit on by a middle aged man with too much facial hair. “Why do I always attract the weirdo’s?” He’d groaned “Obviously because I’m too sexy”. We had sat at the table for about twenty minutes; Aaron was deep in conversation with Adam about cars while Victoria listened intently. Finn had started talking to me about Star Wars and as much as I wanted to ignore him and listen to Aarons voice I couldn’t help but fall into the conversation, my love of all things Sci-Fi evident in my upbeat tone.

When my conversation with Finn died down I glanced up to see Victoria and Adam were nowhere to be seen and Aaron was scrolling through Twitter on his phone. The silence didn’t last long because a man I’d never seen before approached the table, making a beeline for Aaron. He’d taken Adams seat before Aaron even had a chance to look up and placed a pint in front of him. Aaron looked up finally and I was banking on him decking the bloke for being so forward or at least throwing a sarcastic comment but he just smiled, a grin that reached his ears. 

“Evening young man” He chuckled, slurring. The man chuckled in response gaining the attention of Finn who’d furrowed his eyebrows before saying “I know you”. The man had said something about how he had a memorable face before adding “You’re the younger Barton, right?” Finn had nodded his head enthusiastically before throwing his name into the conversation. I wondered how they all knew each other and I would have asked if I didn’t feel so invisible. Adam and Victoria had reappeared at the table with Adam slapping the mystery man on the back before saying “Well if it isn’t the Flynn-meister!” and then turning to give Aaron a nudge “Someone’s getting lucky tonight”.

My jaw tensed at the thought. So this was one of Aarons exes, or maybe a one night-er? I couldn’t help but feel envious, I knew by far I was probably the best looking bloke in here but the way Aaron clung onto every word that fell from Flynn’s mouth got me feeling inferior. I left the group in conversation whilst I went to order a round of shots from the bar, I turned around to see Flynn’s hand lazily on Aarons thigh and decided against taking drinks back. I paid the barman and downed the line of shots myself. 

Not wanting to go back to the table I hung around the other side of the room for a bit before getting bored of the surroundings and heading outside for air. I’d been outside for what seemed like hours before a man approached me, he had overdone the fake tan and I could smell the alcohol on his breath. “What’s a pretty thing like you doing alone?” he’d sang, I grimaced before turning away far too drunk to head back inside. “Need someone to show you a good time?” he purred, placing his hand on my hip roughly. I backed away instantly but my body hit the wall behind and I went dizzy for a moment. 

The next thing I knew, Aaron was stood at my side like a guardian angel. “This one’s spoken for” he’d said with a cigarette between his lips, glaring at the man who’d backed away with his hands in the air. I’d muttered some kind of thanks before putting my head in my hands and groaning at the shooting pain. “How much did you drink, mate?” Aaron had asked, pulling my hands away from my face and standing in front of me. I clung to the word ‘mate’ and grimaced at the thought of us being mates, I noticed his cigarette was gone and he’d suddenly sobered up more in the last few minutes. “A lot” I mumbled, resting my head on his shoulder, if I didn’t I would have probably fallen over. 

“Come on, you need to sober up” and with that we were walking away from the bar and down the quieter streets of town, my headache starting to subside. Aaron had his hand supportively on my lower back and I couldn’t help but feel pathetic, usually I was the one in control and Aaron was the soul that needed saving, but tonight I was too far gone to care. “What about…Flynn” I’d mumbled, with a little too much venom in my voice. Aaron had breathed a quiet laugh and shook his head “So that’s what this is all about?” 

I’d denied it of course, but Aaron could see straight through me. Maybe he was the only one who could, and maybe I liked that feeling a little more than I should have. “Flynn’s a guy I was seeing a few years ago, before I moved to France. I was still with Jackson at the time and he’d convinced me to go play the field a bit, he wouldn’t give us a chance unless I did.” I nodded, still trying to hide my jealousy. “He’s a nice guy but he’s definitely not my type. I don’t even know why I’m explaining this to you, I have to watch you and Chrissie play happy families and you’re suddenly defensive when a guy shows an interest in me?” 

That’s when I felt it, a pang of guilt. It was rare for me to feel bad about anything that I did but I definitely felt it then. He was right, how could I make him feel bad about seeing other people when I was engaged for God’s Sake? “I’m sorry” I’d whispered “I don’t mind if you want to go back, I bet he’s wondering where you are” Aaron had smiled at that, rubbing my back lightly with his thumb. “Nice to know you care enough, but I’ve already told you he’s not my type” I’d nodded and of course I shouldn’t have said anything else but when does Robert Sugden ever shut up when he’s supposed to?

“Why not? he’s fit. Plus you seemed to enjoy whatever he was saying” We’d stopped now and Aaron pulled me over to sit on a bench a few doors down from the local chip shop, he’d said something about going to get food to help me sober up and I was too shy to tell him I’d left my wallet in my jacket which Victoria was looking after. He came back a few minutes later with a cone of chips and a diet coke, I’d pointed at the diet coke and asked jokingly if he thought I should be on a diet. He’d laughed before poking my stomach and saying I could lose a few stone. 

We shared the chips and I felt myself sobering up slowly. The chip shop had turned off its lights a while before and now we were in silence with just the faint sound of the nightclubs a few streets away. Aaron had spoken first and I found myself listening intently to the way his voice shook. “Flynn’s an alright guy but I’m a one man bloke, even if this isn’t a real relationship and no… I don’t mean that as a dig” I found my voice working against me, asking him why he was choosing whatever we had over the chance of a proper relationship with someone else. Aaron had sighed, chucking the empty cone in the bin before replying “You already know how I feel about you Rob, I can’t just switch that off. I’m not gonna go out with someone else and still be thinking of you, it wouldn’t be fair” 

I’d asked him if he’d still feel the same if he knew I would never leave Chrissie and he’d nodded sadly “I already know you won’t leave her but I’d rather cling to whatever we’ve got going than not have you at all. You’re not offering what I want, but I’ll take all that I can get if it means being with you” I hadn’t looked at him after that, I could already hear the crack in his voice and if I looked up to tears in his eyes I wouldn’t be able to handle myself. “You feel a bit sharper?” He’d asked after clearing his throat and wiping his face with the back of his hand. I nodded and mumbled something about being “fucking freezing” I hadn’t expected to then be enveloped in his warm hoodie, leaving him in that blue shirt that I couldn’t take my eyes off. 

I’d whispered a shy thanks, which was weird because I never felt shy. He’d put his arm around my shoulder and rested his head on top of mine. It felt nice, I felt comfortable, I felt safe. He’d placed a kiss into my hair and I just wanted to stay there, maybe it was the drink talking but all I wanted was to be his.


End file.
